17 things you never knew about Battersea dogs and cats home

December 4, 2015, 9:34 am

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We all know about the brilliant work Battersea dogs and cats home do, but did you know this…

1. Battersea was established in 1860 by a lady called Mary Tealby in unoccupied stables in a mews behind 15 and 16 Hollingsworth Street.

2. Back then, Battersea was known as ‘The Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs’.

3. In 1871, the shelter moved across the river to its current iconic site in South London.

4. Battersea currently employ over 300 staff and around 1000 volunteers across their three sites.

Read the full story

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Coke lets you buy a bottle for Myra Hindley but not for Beyoncé

December 4, 2015, 9:43 am

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The Share a Coke website lets you into the magic of having a bottle of Coke with your name on it.

Particularly if your name is unusual, it could be a great way to feel like you’re part of the promotion.

That’s unless you try and use ‘profanity, vulgarity, celebrity names or trademarks’, the site says.

Or so we thought. It seems that Fun House’s Pat Sharp, despite his Christmas wisdom, isn’t famous enough to count as a celebrity according to Coke. Fred West isn’t seen as a vulgar of profane name.

While it is currently only available in the US, you can even get ‘bastard’ on there if you so desire.

And there are some surprising people you can (and cannot) buy a Coke for:

Kylie Jenner

… Read the full story

‘You will have their blood on your hands’: Mother’s open letter about Syria attacks to David Cameron

December 4, 2015, 10:28 am

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A Facebook post written by a mother to David Cameron has gone viral after she called out the Prime Minister over the effect his decision to bomb Syria will have on her three-year-old daughter Erin Rose, her 3-year-old daughter.

Angela Kerrigan, 30, from Kilmarnock, posted a picture of her daughter, Erin Rose, with a note saying: ‘This is my beautiful daughter. She is almost three years old. I’m sitting tonight watching you debate the prospect of bombing Syria.

‘You claim that it is to protect every man woman and child in this country from extremist. I’d just like to correct you. You are an extremist. What she needs is… Read the full story

These are our favourite Christmas treats

December 4, 2015, 12:10 pm

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The highlight of the Christmas season isn’t the presents (who needs another tie?) or ‘quality time’ with family (i.e. trying not to start a fight with your racist great uncle).

Hands down, the best thing about Christmas is the food.

A new study shows that 9.48am on 4 December marks the exact moment we get our seasonal scoff on and throw our diets to the wind.

The findings also revealed that 16-29 year olds could consume up to an extra 30,000 calories from now till Christmas Day.

These are the country’s top 10 favourite Christmas treats, according to the study.

1. Mince pies (50%)

 

Read the full story

Quiz: Do you know what these Geordie phrases mean?

December 4, 2015, 11:10 pm

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While countries around the world have specific dialect- the Australians, for example, have all sorts of strange phrases – the UK is one of the most diverse.

One of the most distinctive is that of the North East, or the Geordies. The accent has shot in recognition with the success of Geordie Shore and break out of stars including I’m a Celebrity’s Vicky Pattison, Charlotte Crosby and Gary Beadle.

But is the Geordie lingo so well known that we can all universally translate it? We’ve put together a quiz of some popular North East phrases.

See if you can speak… Read the full story

Girl writes open letter to Crohn’s disease to show the realities of living with IBD

December 4, 2015, 11:31 pm

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One young woman has taken to her blog to speak of the realities of living with Crohn’s disease.

People are raising awareness for Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week (Dec 1 to Dec 7) by posting something about their illness every day for seven days. The week is currently known as ‘seven days of IBD’.

Deciding to write an open letter to the disease itself, Jenna Farmer, a qualified Nutritional Therapist and the founder of abalancedbelly.co.uk, has written a letter which represents the painful truths of living with a chronic illness.

Jenna was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in December 2013, after suffering with symptoms for 10 years.

MORE: Man’s powerful Facebook… Read the full story

Family celebrates ‘miracle’ baby with a Star Wars themed photoshoot

December 5, 2015, 1:24 am

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A long, long time ago in a galaxy not at all far away, a woman was told she wouldn’t be able to have any more children.

After photographer Trish McCoy’s sister Amber Bartlett was diagnosed with cancer and a rare disease, she had to accept that her two children wouldn’t be able to have another little brother or sister.

But then, 11 years after her diagnosis, she fell pregnant with a baby.

Her autoimmune disease and bi-weekly blood infusions meant doctors weren’t sure if she would be able to carry her… Read the full story

Alternative Christmas candles we really want in our lives

December 5, 2015, 1:47 am

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If you’re also fascinated by the prospect of a pigs in blankets candle, you’re in luck.

People have been raving about the new range of candles from Pringles – including a rather wonderful (and bizarre) pigs in blankets candle. But Metro.co.uk readers were keen for a brand new selection of other strange Christmas scents.

One commenter even requested a Brussels sprout scented candle to ‘drive unwanted guests away’ – and we can’t fault that as a strategy.

We may have found a gap in the candle market, as big fans of the crisp-scented candles are definitely keen on a whole range of unusual… Read the full story

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Artist turns grime MCs into members of the landed gentry in fancy oil paintings

December 5, 2015, 2:04 am

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Read the full story

9 reasons why Brighton is brilliant at Christmas

December 5, 2015, 2:20 am

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Known more for the big summer getaway it’s easy to overlook The City of Brighton & Hove in December. But this thriving city by the sea hosts all of the big events usual to the season as well as plenty of fun fund-raisers, concerts, sales and grottos.

But it also hosts some rather magical, quirky festivities that all add to Brighton’s reputation of being a bit different and special.

In fact there is no greater time than Christmas to show just how diverse, archaic, fun, exciting and lovable the place is. And yes sometimes we even get to build snowmen on the beach!

Brighton is beautiful… Read the full story

What not to do at the office Christmas party: A handy guide

December 5, 2015, 2:36 am

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Hooray, hooray. It’s office Christmas party season.

A time of a tiny bit too much cheap sparkling wine, an uncomfortable festive outfit you changed into in the bathroom, and a tipsy rant at someone in senior management, who probably doesn’t want to hear your thoughts on why we really do need to buy fancier teabags.

According to employment law solicitors Thomas Mansfield, all that festive merriment actually leads to a lot of employees ending up in disciplinaries post-party. Bit awkward.

So they’ve created a handy guide on what you definitely should… Read the full story

15 things that are guaranteed to happen when you drink wine with your best mate

December 5, 2015, 3:00 am

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Happy National Wine Week one and all!

To be honest, it’s probably up there with one of my favourite weeks. Right behind my ‘birthday week’, because that normally involves several bottles of wine. And ‘Christmas week’ , because again that involves all of the wine.

As if wine in itself wasn’t a great invention, I’ll tell you what’s an even better one. Drinking wine with your best friend.

Because you know there are always certain things that will happen when you drink wine with your best mate…

1. You’ll both agree to stay for just the one. But one turns into one round each. And one each turns into one bottle. And one bottle turns… Read the full story

This woman responded to Kylie Jenner’s wheelchair photoshoot by creating her own

December 5, 2015, 3:02 am

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After hundreds of people criticised Kylie Jenner’s controversial photoshoot for Interview magazine, one woman has taken to Tumblr to brilliantly illustrate why it’s so problematic.

To recap, Kylie Jenner attracted another round of controversy this week for posing in a gold wheelchair for the cover photo of Interview magazine.

Many slammed the use of a wheelchair as a fashion ‘prop’, while others took issue with Kylie’s pose, which made her look passive, powerless, and sexualised.

‘This right here is why I don’t rate Kylie Jenner,’ wrote one woman… Read the full story

This artist wants you to wear her vagina around your neck

December 5, 2015, 3:56 am

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Because why shouldn’t your winter accessories celebrate genitalia?

One artist named Christen Clifford has a mission. A mission to give people the chance to wear her vagina around their necks.

She’s created a scarf – named the pussy bow, obviously – using photos of the inside of her vagina she took with a vibrator that doubles as an internal camera.

Much like an actual vagina, the scarf is made from pure silk and cares about Planned Parenthood, so 10% of all profits made from pussy bow sales go straight to them.

Read the full story

Here’s how people react to being told they’re beautiful

December 5, 2015, 4:47 am

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We’re not great at receiving compliments.

If we’re told we have nice shoes we’ll quickly start rambling about how old they are. If someone tells us we’re pretty, we’d rather say ‘oh, no. Don’t be silly’ than ‘thank you’.

But you know what? Sometimes we really, really need to hear something good about ourselves. And just sit back and quietly accept it.

Shea Glover, a student at a performing arts school in Chicago, was filming a project on beauty for one of her classes when she noticed something unexpected. The reactions people had to being told they were beautiful were more interesting than the initial project.

Read the full story

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Important: You can now get a degree in pizza

December 5, 2015, 5:23 am

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People say you should follow your passions.

If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, they say.

But something held us back. And that something was the confusion over how, exactly, you turn a deep unending love for pizza into a career.

Well, my pizza-loving friends, the answer is here. The answer is a degree in pizza.

Pizza Hut has teamed up with Manchester Metropolitan University to create 1,500 apprenticeships for students, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Read the full story

22 tweets that sum up having a mum

December 5, 2015, 6:55 am

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Mums are great.

They brought you into this world, and it is now their fundamental right to embarrass you, fail at technological tasks, and bring hilarity and occasional annoyance to your life.

They support us, they love us, and we need to love and support them back. And occasionally, we should tweet about mums. Because it’s funny, and maybe it’ll help them learn about the magic of the internet.

Some people are already fulfilling their tweeting about mums duty. And they’re nailing it.

1. Because anyone who has a mum with a phone can relate to this.

Not sure why my mum insists on putting her name at the end of every single text. Her name and about 74838 x's. #classicsuzie

— Mike Duce (@MikeDuce) November 27, 2015

 

2. And may have received this email a few too many times.

Standard email from mum… Read the full story

Women are cancelling Christmas party plans because they feel fat

December 5, 2015, 7:57 am

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Feeling a bit crap about yourself doesn’t exactly help with the festive spirit.

According to a new survey from vouchercloud.com, women are cancelling Christmas plans because they don’t feel good about how they look.

In a survey of 2,000 women, 73% admitted that they had cancelled December plans that they could actually attend (H/T to Huffington Post). While some of those women were just treating themselves to a night in with TV, the top reasons women gave for skipping socialising were a bit more worrying.

The most frequent reason was ‘I was having a fat day’, with 51% of the women listing this… Read the full story

QUIZ: Meet your perfect Christmas jumper

December 5, 2015, 9:05 am

≫ Next: 13 things every girl who lives in leggings understands

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Want a bit more from your Christmas jumper than a tiny pile of discarded sequins and a slight itch around your neck?

You’re probably after a Christmas jumper that speaks to your soul. One that truly captures your festive spirit.

Because if you’re a more traditional type, you don’t want a sparkly penguin jumper. And let’s be real, if your favourite festive snack is pigs in blankets, you’d like a jumper that keeps up with your edgy personal brand.

Don’t stress. We’re here for you. Play our quiz to meet the perfect Christmas jumper for you.

Read the full story

13 things every girl who lives in leggings understands

December 6, 2015, 4:32 am

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When it comes to the preferred choice of leg wear, no matter what the occasion, leggings always come out top.

Leggings are functional, adaptable, cheap and unbelievably cosy.

And they go with every single item of clothing you own.

You don’t understand why wearing leggings is so frowned upon, because you actually live for it.

In fact if you had to choose between eating cheese or wearing leggings, then you would definitely be throwing out that extra aged Parmesan you just purchased.

Here’s 13 things every girl who lives in leggings understands.

1. SO comfy

Leggings are up there with fleecy dressing gowns and that feeling of sinking into your bed… Read the full story